Emily scowled. “Toni and Addie are well behaved in public these days.”
“Or better at not getting caught,” Ian amended.
After a moment, Emily sighed. “Fine. They are about to be married, though, so I can’t say they’ll avoid public drama. I can hope they will. This thing with Kaelee, though… it’s different.”
“It is.” Greta nodded to Ian, who left to summon the rest ofthe team. Then she handed Emily the packet that legal had already received and that marketing and publicity received in a less detailed form. The top page was a notarized sheet from Kaelee that allowed Greta to discuss these things. “I told her I’d manage this without her having to sit here while we discuss her.”
Emily skimmed the pages. “Kaelee is the missing Alden kid? I read about this.”
“A lot of people did.” Greta knew now why the name had sounded familiar. “She wasn’t kidnapped or murdered. She ran away because her father is a vile man.”
“She could have told me.” Emily flipped through the pages. “Sheshouldhave told me. Does Toni know?”
“I don’t know howmuchdetail Toni has; that’s not my business. The Aldens are not a thing Kaelee wants to bring up,” Greta stressed. “But they reached out after a decade of silence and want her to cancel the book.”
“I know you said that her family had reached out, but I didn’t know they were…” Emily looked like she had accidentally tasted something foul. “It doesn’t matter ultimately. Well, I assume we aren’t doing that, so we need a plan for her safety and how to counter their next steps.”
“Agreed. AndKaeleeagrees now.” Greta relaxed more now that Emily had read enough to want to plan. “There’s one more thing. Her ‘engagement’”—Greta made air quotes—“was not her choice.Nothingthat happened with him was her choice. She gave me permission to talk to you and the attorneys for this part.” Greta stared at Emily, hoping she didn’t need to be explicit. Talking about that man hurting Kaelee made Greta want to ignore laws and seek him out.
Destroy him.
Greta gripped the edge of her desk as she said, “Kaelee came out, and to control her, her father made a choice that included his protégé, who agreed to marry Kaelee.”
“Am I understanding you correctly?” Emily whispered. “He… they…hurther.”
“Yes. Her father gave her away in marriage, and his proxy assaulted her.” Greta swallowed back the rage she felt simmering. “As a result, Kaelee ran. She changed her name, built a life, became the amazing woman she now is.”
“Fuck them if they think they can steal the life and career she built.” Emily pinched the bridge of her nose as if to stop a building headache. “Step one, where are we on legal? Are her rights protected that way?”
“I have a consultant coming in, as well as house legal.” Greta looked at her list. “Marketing will be making sure there is security at the events. Since Toni is with her at the first four stops, we can cover that cost in-house.”
“And the consultant?”
“Kaelee has already paid her retainer. I’ve been getting all the ducks in a row.”
Greta looked up as the door opened.
Ian shot her an apologetic look. Behind him were two attorneys; one was the woman Greta had spoken to on the phone and the other was Tasha. She eyed Greta in that possessive, assessing way of hers that had once felt flattering, but now it simply felt like she was being appraised for her worth.
“Ms. Connolly… and Ms. Everette. I hadn’t expectedbothof you.” Greta felt like a wall of fire was sliding over her. Her skin felt clammy and hot all at once, and she hoped she wasn’t going to lose her temper. She’d expected only Marissa—Risa—Connolly. Seeing Tasha was not on the list of things she’d braced for today. Since they’d stopped their one-night fuck sessions, Greta had not seen her in person. A part of her worried that she’d feel something, temptation or regret.
Tasha was still stunning. Tall, bespoke suit, and eyes like ice chips. No one could look at her and think she was anything otherthan commanding and beautiful, but Greta felt no longing, no hunger, nothing but trepidation that this would upset Kaelee.
“I’m Natasha Everette,” Tash said, offering her hand to Emily, who had come to her feet. Then Tasha looked at Greta and nodded. “Greta. Marissa said you had called, so I thought I could help. Two attorneys for the price of one. It’s an ‘old friends’ special rate.”
“That’s very generous, but Risa is—”
“The Aldens keep an entire team of attorneys on retainer,” Tasha said. “I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t think you could use the backup. Marissa is an exceptional litigator, but she’ll be buried in paperwork. That’s what they do.”
Risa met Greta’s eyes. “She’s right.”
Greta nodded. “Assuming the client agrees, so be it. If not, I trust Risa completely.”
Tasha gave her a wry look, hearing plainly what was left unsaid. The jab might have been unnecessary. Tasha was a shark when it came to her job, and on that front, she was exactly the right attorney for this job. They locked gazes far longer than was considered polite.
Then Tasha smiled.
“Shall we?” Marissa said in what Greta was sure was the patented efficient attorney voice.
